I-69 Interstate - COUNT US! Counties Under New Terrain US I-69

1. Daniels claimed 50,000 jobs for every $1 billion spent on roads and 100,000 jobs for the $2 billion in new construction projects in Major Moves.

This has been soundly refuted:

Daniels Job's claims independently ranked "Hogwash".
Press Release: Refuting Daniels Jobs Claim.

Since these document appeared, Daniels has discontinued the claim publicly of $100,000 jobs for the $2 billion, but he continues to put out this proven erred statistic to the loyal followers in his party through his campaign e-mails. In fact they have increased that number from 100k jobs to 130k jobs for friendly consumption. Many others continue to repeat these proven false stats.

2. Daniels claims existing Interstate highways can not be tolled. He is saying this to lull the masses into thinking "It can't happen here". Since most larger population centers include interstate highways that would be understood likely targets for future privatization, it is important to Daniels that this not be a worry to voters as Major Moves passes through the legislature.

Our documentation for the proof that Interstates can be tolled can be found here. The new Federal Highway funding bill has made this quite easy. http://www.i69tour.org/toll-IN.html

3. Daniels claims that bringing foreign investment by privatization of our roads will help the nations trade deficit.

This is not true for two reasons.

a. There is no clear evidence that the funds that private companies will bring to the table will not be United States Federal Highway Administration low interest loan money guaranteed by our state and the federal government. http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8AT7HTG0.html

b. Secondly the privatization firms have publicly announced that they expect to make a 13% return on investment by raising tolls at every opportunity. The increase in tolling or the tolling of transportation routes never before tolled is a new commerce expense. As the toll profits would all go to foreign owners, the overall effect of these several generations long contracts would be a USA trade deficit rather than an asset. http://finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,17930417-14334,00.html

4. Daniels has never addressed the broader implications of Major Moves on other roads.

a. By focusing attention on the existing Indiana Toll road where he already has the authority to raise the Tolls, he has focused all attention on the "carrot". The existing toll road is already tolled, the tolls will increase Major Moves, the negatives effect only those in the most northern counties of Indiana. "I-69" is never mentioned in the Major Moves bill HB1008. The authority to privately toll it will apply to every other road in the state, including existing interstate highways and bridges. Because I-69 has been supported by both parties, perhaps even more the Democrats than the Republicans, the debate has mostly ignored what is the stinky part of this bill. Transponder tolling to private owners will provide previously unimagined funds for INDOT and the road construction industry while making the cost of using our roads more in line with the costs of other nations who pay $6 per gallon for gasoline.

b. What is a stake is a new tax on transportation in the USA. What will result from this Privatize Tolling, is frequent tolling of many roads. Transportation in the USA has long been cheap, or at least seemed cheap as our gas prices are the lowest the world. Free roads are not that uncommon worldwide, but under $3. 00 per U.S. gallon gasoline is unheard of as other nations tax their gas and spend the revenue on a range of governement programs.

Even if roads will not all be privatized, the transponders that allow private companies to toll privatized sections of our road will become common and soon license plates will include / require transponders that will automatically bill motorists credit cards or prepaid accounts per mile for road use of more and more roads. Major Moves will be landmark legislation copied nationally as this new plan is now heavily endorsed by the Federal Highway Administration.